Instead of taking Mom out for the requisite brunch this Mother's Day, why not throw a tea party in her honor? Keep things simple with this selection of decadent homemade sweets.
Rose Petal–Vanilla Bean Shortbread
These rose petal–flecked cookies have a wonderful crumbly texture and a delicate sweet, floral flavor. Homemade Mallomars
Make your own batch of these gooey, crunchy, chocolate-covered marshmallow t

Though she's already packed her knives and left the latest season of Top Chef Masters, we think Sue Zemanick of Gautreau's is doing just fine. After all, the New Orleans star has nabbed a nomination for our Rising Star Chef of the Year Award three years in a row. Read on to discover what she told us about her favorite eats in the Crescent City and more.
JBF:Gautreau's is the second restaurant you’ve worked at in New Orleans. What is it about working in that city that appeals to you? SZ: I love the people and culture. Everyone in NOLA loves great food, music, and cocktails, and that’s basically all that we do—eat amazing food, listen to live music, and enjoy delicious drinks.
JBF:Have you felt any impact from the oil spill at your restaurant? SZ: Yes. People were afraid to come to New

Details about the royal wedding menu remain hush-hush, though the New York Timesreports that guests will be treated to a staggering spread of over 10,000 canapés instead of a sit-down meal. You can throw a scaled-down toast to the new couple and make these dainty tea sandwiches from Andrea Lekberg of the Artist Baker in New Jersey. Get the recipe here.

It's hard to believe that we're already two weeks into our programming at JBF LTD. What's on deck for the next several days? We've got a wine-pairing talk with JBF Award winners Andrea Robinson and Michelle Bernstein (who is also cooking a one-off dinner tomorrow night); a discussion of Blood, Bones & Butter with chef and author Gabrielle Hamilton; and D’Artagnan's annual Duckathlon. Head on over to the pop-up's official website to get the full scoop on this week's events.

Whether you're still looking for your Easter-table centerpiece or just want to celebrate spring, here are three test-driven lamb dishes that our recipe tester loved.
Citrus and Rose–Crusted Lamb Loin
We love the sweet and floral crust on this dish from Daniel Fox of the Madison Club. If you plan to use the optional rose water, be sure to do so sparingly—a little goes a long way.
Green Peppercorn Lamb with Asparagus and Rotini
Ming Tsai’s simple one-wok wonder is the perfect si